“A local landlord with a dozen properties and high water bills sought a way to monitor utilities. When he could not find a company to do it for him, he created one.

Fourteen years later, WaterWatch Corp., with 11 employees, is monitoring utilities at 30,000 units across the country. The company subcontracts plumbing companies to install the sub-meters, which report information wirelessly to a central data point. WaterWatch monitors the data and bills tenants accordingly.

Todd Quarterman, 43, who started the Rochester-based company and serves as president, says sub-metering utilities helps property owners put utility usage into the hands of residents, which ultimately cuts costs and conserves resources. Typically, he says, water consumption declines 20 percent to 30 percent once tenants start getting billed.